INCREASED COST OF COAL. SOME COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 42, 19 February 1908, Page 7

INCREASED COST OF COAL. SOME COMMENTS.

[BT TEIEOHAPH. — PHESB ASSOCIATION.] WESTPORT, This Day. Commenting at tho Westport Harbour Board meeting on the increase in ' pneo of coal locally, Mr. Foster, President of the Miners' Union and a member of the board, said the increase appeared to be associated to the "bank- I to-bank" legislation, but so far as that was concerned the increase was absolutely unwarranted. Air. Oolviri, M.P., stated that the mines were now turning out coal cheaper than over.

■ . That a lad of 18 shonld bo getting no more than 12s 6d a week wages in Wellington at the present time somewhat astonished the members of the Benevolent Institution at their meeting j a week ago. They did not seem at all disposed to digest the statement, and according instructed the secretary to make further enquiries. These were in the direction of corroboration of the! onginal statement, and yesterday the father of the lad attended and added further particulars. He had, he said, hopes of apprenticing his son to a trade, but these were destroyed when he learned that tho young fellow could not, according to the union award, be paid more than 7s 6d per week. The sacriucti was altogether too great in the circumstances, brighter as the boy's future might bo, and so he has had to continue at the 12s 6d a week. Mr. A C Pearce, a member of tho board of trustees, remarked that tho outlook for boys in New Zealand was becoming alarming by reason of tho restrictions placed upon I the number of apprentices and tho obstacles placed in the way of deserving lads who f/om a variety of reasons could not serve time at trades, and yet wore prevented from improving their positions by picking up some useful calling. Mr. Robertson suggested that the friends of the young man in question should interview his employers with a view to securing an increase of wages. The Hastings Standard says that Mr. A. Dillon, M.P., has received a letter from the -Minister of Mines stating that tho petition of the residents of Wairoa County arging that the geological survey now being conducted in the Poverty Bay district may bo extended to cover the districts of Mahia and Muhaka, has been referred to the Director of Geological Surveys for a report whether the extended survey can be undertaken with thnt at prosont in progress. The potitioners mado the request in view of the discovery of coal seams at Waikokopu. A correspondent of a Napier paper wiitos :—"ln: — "In view of the very low prices now being obtained for live stock a reduction in the retail prico of meat would bo wolcomed by householders." Mr. Rix-Trott, engincor to tho Hutt Borough Council, has been engaged d\iring tho day in testing the mams of tho now wator service of tho borough. The tests were most tatisfactory. Percy W. Burbidge, who camo out top on the list of scholarship winners in the Now Zealand University examinations, is a son of Mr W. Liurbidge, of Webb-street, Wellington. Ho is an ex-pupil of Mount Cook school, and while theie won n board's, a Queen's, and a National schohmhiD,.